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Crossing over the bridge felt like I was stepping straight into a postcard come to life. I should have been focusing on the road ahead, but I couldn't help letting my gaze wander over the surroundings. Below the bridge, a serene river flowed, flanked by mountains stretching as far as the eye could see. Lush greenery lined both sides of the valley, and I found myself marveling at the picturesque landscape, even as the music in the background contrasted sharply with what I saw.
In less than twenty-four hours, I had made several decisions that turned my life upside down. I had left my ex-boyfriend, George. At work, I had taken all the vacation time I had accrued over the past few years and never had a need to use. And finally, I had accepted an invitation from a stranger to venture into the Canadian backcountry.
I wanted to see Wolf Creek as just that, but the truth was something else. Since my first glimpse of the small town, I had felt a stir of excitement. Suddenly, swapping city life for something straight out of a Hallmark movie didn't worry me anymore. It was a wild adventure, if I were to believe Manon's words.
After packing my entire life into boxes and loading them into three cars that night, a few hours later, I was taking the next step. I had spent the rest of the night in a cheap motel on the highway while Gray and Wilder had already returned to their hometown.
How crazy is this?This wasn’t the first time I had asked myself this question, but now, being able to take a closer look at Wolf Creek, I instinctively knew it had been the right decision. This was the perfect place to forget what had happened. And if I could watch Gray walking shirtless through his garden while he worked, that seemed like an added bonus and was probably good for my mental health too.
I had left my qualms behind in Toronto. Honestly, I had forgotten them the second he assured me it was okay to take from him what I needed. At first, it had felt like a mistake to have kissed him at all. Now, it was one of those wild reasons that propelled me to make the journey to the address Gray entered into my phone after deleting George’s contact info.
Once the bridge was behind me, I pulled over to the side of the road and got out. Crossing my arms in front of my chest, I leaned against my car and closed my eyes. A gentle breeze whispered through my hair and across my face, the fresh country air filling my lungs.
When I opened my eyes again, I was confronted with the rustic charm of the town. The colorful wooden houses nestled in the valley as if they had always been there. Even from up here, everything looked so welcoming. Looking straight ahead at the mountain before me, another house stared back at me, a blend of glass and wood. I bet the view from the terrace not only offered a perfect view of the river but of the entire valley.
All this was absurd. I had actually accepted an invitation from Gray, which he had never officially extended. Living with a stranger in a place that might as well be called a wilderness—who did that? In the end, it was the perfect way to escape the clutches of my cheating ex-boyfriend. If I was honest, there hadn’t been much holding me back there for months now. Routine, perhaps. Habit. The familiarity that was as close to me as my own skin. Yesterday had proven, though, that it wasn't enough.
But now, looking down at the quaint Wolf Creek, I could almost feel the fresh start in my bones. All I had to do was leave dusty Toronto behind and embrace what awaited me here.
As a vehicle approached, I got back into my car, only to see the blue-red flashing of lights in my rearview mirror a moment later.
"Damn it," I cursed, slamming my hand on the steering wheel and rolling my eyes—it was the last thing I needed right now.
The officer tapped on the window, and I looked to the left, only to realize it was a woman in uniform. After I rolled down the window, she leaned down.
"Hi, I’m Sergeant Williams. Is everything okay, or do you need help?"
I had assumed she would check me for the many boxes and parcels in my trunk and backseat. Her question caught me off guard.
"What? No, I… I was just enjoying the view for a moment before continuing on."
The blonde woman glanced over her shoulder before looking at me with a smile. "It truly is breathtaking, isn't it?" Her gaze fell to my belongings. "Vacation, or…?"
"It looks like Wolf Creek will have a new resident for a while," I replied, shrugging my shoulders.
It puzzled me that Sergeant Williams seemed pleased about it, almost like she wasn’t a police officer but someone genuinely happy about the town's new addition.
"Then there must be a good reason for it. No one decides on a whim to move here. I mean, the town is nice, but it's hardly a busy city." So she had glanced at my license plate and already figured out that I was one of those big-city types. At least, that's what she had to assume, not knowing that I had grown up in a small town like this. "Who persuaded you to swap Toronto for Wolf Creek?"
For a brief moment, I considered lying. But this place was damn small, and she would probably find out eventually anyway.
"Gray." For some reason, I didn't expect her to nod knowingly next.
"Ah, old Fletcher. And did he tell you where to find hisbed-and-breakfast?"
A nervous sound escaped me. "Well, he did give me an address…"
She dismissed it with a wave of her hand. "I'll get you there quickly. Just follow me; the roads up there are very steep, tight, and winding."
Before I could protest, she had already walked away from my car. I called out a half-hearted thank you. Arriving in Wolf Creek with a police escort. Wonderful. Not exactly how I had envisioned it.
As I followed her down Main Street, I noticed how slow life was in this town. The people exuded a sense of calm and coziness, much like the buildings that passed by me. I spotted a café and a market in a side street that must have led toward the river. Small shops were nestled together, and as we passed the assembly hall, surrounded by countless beds of colorful wildflowers in full bloom, I truly felt like I had found a piece of home.
I rolled down the window, listening to the birds. In Toronto, you heard city noise. Here, the gentle melody of nature.
Soon after, I realized that Sergeant Williams hadn't lied. The road leading up the mountain was not only narrow but so tight that only one car could fit on it. It also wound steeply through the forest. With each turn, a queasy feeling spread further in my stomach, but as soon as we reached the top, I could tell that the drive had been worth it.
I parked my car next to the squad car and got out, only to realize that I had arrived in paradise. The gravel parking lot held a few other vehicles: a pickup, two ATVs, and several cars, which, judging by the license plates, likely belonged to the guests.
